Cosmic-ray searches with the MATHUSLA detector

TL;DR

This paper evaluates the potential of the MATHUSLA detector, enhanced with RPC layers, to study cosmic-ray air showers and address open questions in high-energy cosmic-ray physics.

Contribution

It introduces an upgraded MATHUSLA detector design with RPC layers to improve cosmic-ray air shower measurements and compares its capabilities with existing facilities.

Findings

RPC layers significantly improve measurement of charged particle densities.

MATHUSLA can effectively study cosmic rays in the PeV energy range.

Enhanced detector design addresses key open issues in cosmic-ray physics.

Abstract

The performance of the proposed MATHUSLA detector as an instrument for studying the physics of cosmic rays by measuring extensive air showers is presented. The MATHUSLA detector is designed to observe and study the decay of long-lived particles produced at the pp interaction point of the CMS detector at CERN during the HL-LHC data-taking period. The proposed MATHUSLA detector will be composed of many layers of long scintillating bars that cannot measure more than one hit per bar and correctly report the hit coordinate in case of multiple hits. This study shows that adding a layer of RPC detectors with both analogue and digital readout significantly enhances the capabilities of MATHUSLA to measure the local densities and arrival times of charged particles at the front of air showers. We discuss open issues in cosmic-ray physics that the proposed MATHUSLA detector with an additional layer of RPC detectors could address and conclude by comparing with other air-shower facilities that measure cosmic rays in the PeV energy range.